FGCU's NCAA run ends with 62-50 loss to Florida

Florida's Will Yeguete dunks against Florida Gulf Coast during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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Florida's Will Yeguete dunks against Florida Gulf Coast during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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Florida Gulf Coast's Sherwood Brown (25) reacts in the final moments against Florida during a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. Florida won 62-50. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)— AP

Florida Gulf Coast's Sherwood Brown (25) reacts in the final moments against Florida during a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. Florida won 62-50. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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Florida Gulf Coast head coach Andy Enfield reacts to action against Florida during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)— AP

Florida Gulf Coast head coach Andy Enfield reacts to action against Florida during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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Florida Gulf Coast head coach Andy Enfield reacts to action against Florida during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)— AP

Florida Gulf Coast head coach Andy Enfield reacts to action against Florida during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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Florida Gulf Coast head coach Andy Enfield watches action against Florida during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)— AP

Florida Gulf Coast head coach Andy Enfield watches action against Florida during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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Florida's Scottie Wilbekin (5) and Florida Gulf Coast's Chase Fieler (20) go after a loose ball during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)— AP

Florida's Scottie Wilbekin (5) and Florida Gulf Coast's Chase Fieler (20) go after a loose ball during the second half of a regional semifinal game in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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Florida Gulf Coast's Eric McKnight (12) reacts during the final minutes of a regional semifinal game against Florida in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)— AP

Florida Gulf Coast's Eric McKnight (12) reacts during the final minutes of a regional semifinal game against Florida in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
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From left, Florida Gulf Coast's Brett Comer, Sherwood Brown, Eddie Murray and Dajuan Graf react during the final minutes of a regional semifinal game against Florida in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)— AP

From left, Florida Gulf Coast's Brett Comer, Sherwood Brown, Eddie Murray and Dajuan Graf react during the final minutes of a regional semifinal game against Florida in the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, March 30, 2013, in Arlington, Texas (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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ARLINGTON, Texas 
That high-flying act from "Dunk City" busted most everybody's NCAA tournament brackets and left an indelible mark on March.

Bet you know what FGCU is now.

Florida Gulf Coast, the No. 15 seed few people knew much about only a week ago, had its improbable run to the NCAA round of 16 ended by a 62-50 loss late Friday night - actually only a few minutes before midnight. SEC regular-season champion Florida is headed to its third consecutive regional final.

"We definitely defied a lot of odds," said Sherwood Brown, the dreadlocked guard who is Gulf Coast's only senior starter. "Pretty much no one in the nation expected us to make it this far."

Early against Florida, the Eagles (26-11) seemed even looser than they had in their victories over No. 2 seed Georgetown and No. 7 seed San Diego State. And they had a big run that came early this time.

Chase Fieler had 3-pointers to start and cap an 11-0 run, raising his hands in the air after the second that put Gulf Coast ahead 15-4 and led to a timeout by Florida coach Billy Donovan less than 7 minutes into the game.

In between the 3s, Gulf Coast had some of the schoolyard-like plays that earned them that "Dunk City" moniker.

After Brett Comer stole a pass, he ran down the court and threw up an alley-oop pass for the trailing Brown, who delivered an emphatic slam that sent the announced crowd of more than 40,000 into a frenzy - except for those in Gator orange.

Comer then flipped another backward pass to Bernard Thompson for a 3-pointer before Fieler's other 3.

"It was very exciting to get out to that big run, playing in the Sweet 16, playing the way we were playing early in the tournament against a great team in Florida," Fieler said.

That run was so similar to extended spurts they had in upsetting No. 2 seed Georgetown and No. 7 seed San Diego State.

But the Gators (29-7) still had plenty of time - and know how to go on big runs of their own.

"I thought we did a great job of putting pressure and making those guys feel uncomfortable," said Mike Rosario, who led Florida with 15 points.

The Eagles had 12 turnovers in the first half - one less than they had in each of their first two NCAA tourney games - and finished with 20.

Michael Frazier made a pair of 3-pointers from in front of the FGCU bench, the only baskets he made, to start a 16-0 run late in the first half.

That put the Gators in the lead to stay.

"As bad as we started off, I'm happy for my team that we fought back. They're a second-half team. We did a good job of attacking them in the first 4 minutes of the second half," said Kenny Boynton, whose three-point play sparked a quick 7-0 Gators run right after halftime.